Current Teaching and Research:
Professor Sandler applies theoretical and empirical models of economics
to the study of international political economy, defense, environmental
issues, and public finance. He is particularly interested in the application
of game theory (noncooperative and cooperative) and microeconomics to
issues in international relations. Since 9/11, he focused on empirical
and theoretical analyses of terrorism. He continues to work on public
goods, environmental economics, and defense economics.
His monographs on Regional Public Goods (2002, co-authored with Daniel
Arce) and The Future of Foreign Assistance (1999, co-authored with Ravi
Kanbur) put forward new strategies for giving foreign aid. In Global
Collective Action (2004) and Global Challenges (1997), he
presents novel uses of game theory to distinguish exigencies that are
self-correcting from those that are not. In a series of innovative papers
since 1983, he applied theoretic and empirical methods to the study
of international terrorism. Some of this work is summarized in The
Political Economy of Terrorism (2006, co-authored with Walter Enders),
whose second edition was published in 2012.
His current work focuses on the formation of international environmental
agreements and regimes. Another facet of his work analyzes alliances,
intergovernmental agreements, and the design of supranational structures.
His recent research interests also address intergenerational choices
and the ability of generations to bargain in a forward and backward
fashion. In 2001, he published a major work (intended for a wide audience)
on evaluating economic concepts and methods used over the last century
in order to predict where economics must go in the future. In addition,
he is expanding the theoretical foundations of the study of public goods.
He is also working on new papers on transnational terrorism, global
public goods, peacekeeping, foreign aid, collective action, and the
commons.
Professor Sandler teaches Microeconomic Principles, Game Theory, Intermediate
Microeconomics, Graduate Public Economics, and The Political Economy
of Terrorism. At UTD, he is active in the CV Honors Program.
Major Publications: Transnational Cooperation: An Issue-Based Approach
(Oxford University Press 2015 with Clint Peinhardt), The Political
Economy of Terrorism, 2nd Ed. (Cambridge, 2012), Handbook of
Defense Economics, Vol. 2 (Elsevier, 2007), Global Collective
Action (Cambridge, 2004), Regional Public Goods: Typologies,
Provision, Financing, and Development Assistance (Almqvist &
Wicksell International, 2002), Economic Concepts for the Social Sciences
(Cambridge University Press, 2001, translated into Chinese and Russian),
The Political Economy of NATO (Cambridge 1999 with Keith Hartley);
The Theory of Externalities, Public Goods, and Clubs Goods, 2nd
Ed. (Cambridge 1996 with Richard Cornes); The Economics of Defense
(Cambridge 1995 with Keith Hartley, translated into Japanese); Handbook
of Defense Economics (North-Holland 1995 co-edited with Keith Hartley,
translated into Chinese); and Collective Action: Theory and Applications
(University of Michigan 1992).
He has published article in journals such as: American Political
Science Review, American Journal of Political Science, American
Economic Review, Quarterly Journal of Economics, Economic
Journal, Journal of Conflict Resolution, European Economic
Review, Journal of Economic Literature, Journal of Law
and Economics, Journal of Economic Theory, Journal of
Theoretical Politics, Journal of Public Economic Theory,
International Studies Quarterly, British Journal of Political Science,
Journal of Public Economics, Economica, Oxford Economic Papers, and
elsewhere.Forthcoming and Current Work: He has forthcoming papers on terrorism,
global and regional public goods, and the commons. His work in progress
deals with various aspects of terrorism including: evaluating the counterterrorism
net gains offered by INTERPOL, analyzing the impact of giving into hostage-taking
terrorists, and studying the influence of regime types on terrorism.Consultancies: UN Development Program, Overseas Development Council,
World Bank, Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Inter-American Development
Bank, International Task Force for Global Public GoodsPhD.: S.U.N.Y. BinghamtonFields: International Political Economy, International Politics
and Security, Public Economics, Environmental Economics, Applied Microeconomic
Theory.